Dear Member,
Joely Fisher here, your intrepid secretary-treasurer, a 40-year member of this union, and a mother. I am filled with a sense of awesome responsibility, courage and pride sending you this important message. In my heart, all 160,000 members of this union are my family. I feel blessed to be able to communicate directly with you.
The purpose of this letter is to address an issue that has been extremely close to my life and my heart and that the Negotiating Committee and everyone in union leadership are intensely focused on. Managing our mental health and wellness is vital, yet often forgotten. Please find a link to important resources at the end of this letter.
It is impossible for me to begin this discussion without noting the atrocities of war that are weighing so heavily on hearts all over the world. And, just as the world was starting to feel normal again after a global health crisis, our industry has been put on pause again. As a result, the issue of mental health has become critical for many of us personally, within our families, friend groups, colleagues and beyond.
I was incredibly honored to have the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., last weekend to participate in a mental health roundtable at the White House. I was joined by showrunners, fellow actors, creatives, top mental health professionals, and high-level White House decision-makers. The mission was to begin a conversation about authenticity in the telling of stories of mental health in television and film. I also embraced this as an opportunity to discuss supporting you, the members of SAG-AFTRA. As most of you know, the health care of our members is historically a subject that requires unique sensitivity and attention, with much improvement required. Mental health care IS health care.
My brilliant sister Carrie Fisher, who would’ve celebrated her 67th birthday tomorrow, wore her mental illness like a crown and scepter. When she departed, I took up the mantle of supporting humans who otherwise felt alone. What I didn’t know then was that a similar challenge and diagnosis would soon strike one of my children. The struggle is real. Navigating this world is hard enough without the burden of imbalance in the brain. As a mother, I am heartbroken not to be able to silence her pain. The irony was not lost that I might be a maverick in the mental health “space” and not be able to help my kid. My purpose in sharing these intimate details is that one key to starting a journey to mental wellness is having a willingness to speak about your experience, hopefully with trusted people in your life or with qualified professionals.
This strike we are conducting carries very real pain for everyone in the industry and beyond. People’s finances are strained, the sustainability of our careers is at stake, and so many parts of our lives have been disrupted. Specifically, this sort of environment can cause acute mental and emotional challenges. As your union leaders, we see this and we want to declare our support, whether you are a strike captain, a volunteer, or any member — we see you and we hear you. You are not alone.
This strike will end, and it will end in triumph. There will be joy in victory, made even sweeter by the bonds we forged on the picket lines, at rallies, online and elsewhere. We have strengthened our community in hardship and with our love for each other. Continue to check in on each other and remember to take care of yourselves. We move forward, understanding that supporting each other and our mental wellness is absolutely imperative. Patience and respect are essential tools in the process. Find resources here.
The passion that we have for our craft and our faith in each other lasts forever. For now, we continue to fight!
One day longer. One day stronger. As long as it f*cking takes.
Joely Fisher
SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer